Former top prospect AJ Reed's Astros tenure ends

A.J. Reed is now in the White Sox system after Chicago claimed the former Astros prospect off waivers.

A.J. Reed is now in the White Sox system after Chicago claimed the former Astros prospect off waivers.

Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle

Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle

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A.J. Reed is now in the White Sox system after Chicago claimed the former Astros prospect off waivers.

A.J. Reed is now in the White Sox system after Chicago claimed the former Astros prospect off waivers.

Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle

Former top prospect AJ Reed's Astros tenure ends

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CLEVELAND — AJ Reed's Astros tenure is over.

The Chicago White Sox claimed the former second-round pick off outright waivers Monday, placing him on their 40-man roster and sending him to Class AAA Charlotte.

Houston designated Reed for assignment five days ago to make room for pitcher Jose Urquidy on its 40-man roster. The Astros had seven days to either trade Reed or pass him through outright waivers.

The 26-year-old Reed received only nine major league plate appearances in the last two seasons. The Astros did not call him up in either September, either, showing his standing within the organization.

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A second-round pick in the 2014 draft, Reed was passed by both Yordan Alvarez and Tyler White on the organizational pecking order. First base prospects Taylor Jones and Seth Beer are impressing at Class AAA and AA, respectively, leading to a logjam that left no spot for Reed.

Before the 2016 season, Baseball America named Reed the No. 11 prospect in all of baseball and the Astros' top prospect. He made his debut that June, striking out 48 times and accruing a .532 OPS in 141 major league plate appearances.

Reed struck out in 23.7 percent of his plate appearances during the 2018 season and 29.8 percent this season. He slashed .224/.329/469 at Class AAA Round Rock this season before being designated.